Romanian court cancels environmental permit of Euro Sun gold mining project

The Cluj Court of Appeal permanently canceled the environmental permit for the Rovina gold project operated by Euro Sun Mining of Canada on the grounds that the license lacks important chapters and experts not certified were found among the signatories.

Several NGOs spotted failures in the evaluation of the assessment of the environmental impact and challenged the permit. Cluj-Napoca ordinary court invalidated it in December.

The Cluj Court of Appeal definitively canceled the environmental permit for the Rovina mining project in April this year, making it impossible for the mining company Euro Sun to start mining.

"The ruling is not only a victory for Rovina but a clear signal that the rights of local communities and the protection of the environment are a priority. The ruling marks a crucial moment in the fight for environmental protection in Romania," said Roxana Pencea Brădățan from local non-profit Declic, quoted by Profit.ro.

The Canadian company announced plans to resume the procedures and get another environmental permit when the ruling of the ordinary court was published.

"Although the verdict was disappointing, Euro Sun will resubmit the necessary technical documentation. The company has prepared contingency plans for this possible outcome and remains confident that the necessary certification will now be processed in a timely manner," Euro Sun Mining CEO Grant Sboros commented in December when the ruling was issued by a lower court.

According to Euro Sun, the Rovina mining project is the 14th largest developing deposit in the world and the second largest in Europe, containing measured and indicated resources of 286 gold equivalent tonnes (217 tonnes of gold and 635,000 tonnes of copper).

Euro Sun, through its subsidiary Samax Romania, obtained the gold mining license from Rovina for an initial period of 20 years in 2015, the document being ratified by the Government three years later.

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